Promising to waive farm loans within 10 days of coming to power in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress in its manifesto, released here on Wednesday, assured 20 lakh jobs to youths. The party also outlined a few caste-based initiatives focusing mainly on Dalits, Most Backward Class, Brahmins and Muslims. The party has promised to appoint a Dalit Home Minister in the state, and give sub-caste reservation to people belonging to the Most Backward Class.
Releasing the manifesto, titled “Unnati Vidhan”, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the document was prepared after discussions with all the stakeholders, and called the document — “Jan Ghoshna Patra” (people’s manifesto).
The party had earlier released two manifestos — “Shakti Vidhan” for women and “Bharti Vidhan” for youths.
“Jo bhi ishmein daala hai, who public ki awaaz hai (whatever is in here, it is people’s voice),” said Priyanka Gandhi, adding that the people of UP are struggling with unemployment and price rise.
“Our government will provide 20 lakh government jobs. While 12 lakh jobs will be given for filling vacant posts, 8 lakh new jobs will be created,” she said, adding 40 per cent of these would be earmarked for women.
Priyanka said the Congress will end outsourcing in the government, and regularise those, who are on contract or are being outsourced, in a phased manner. “Two lakh teachers will be recruited and Siksha Mitra will be made permanent on the basis of experience and expertise,” she said.
The party said it would regularise safai karamcharis and increase honorarium of mid-day meal cooks to Rs 5,000.
Promising to resolve the issue of stray cattle in the state, the Congress leader promised compensation of Rs 3,000 per acre to farmers for crop destruction. “Godhan Nyay Yojna will be started under which cow dung will be purchased at Rs 2 per kg,” she said, and cited a similar scheme in Congress-led Chhattisgarh.
The party has also promised to review the school syllabus, saying that the current one is “anti-women with elements of casteism and communalism.
Priyanka said that if Congress comes to power, then cases registered against journalists would be withdrawn to restore “freedom of press” in the state. The party also promised a review of powers of special agencies in the state like EOW, CBCID, UPSTF among others, and said the Human Rights Commission will be empowered to investigate cases of violation of human rights during the BJP rule.
The Congress also promised a reserved seat in Legislative Council each for ex-army men, farmers, craftsmen, and weavers.
To woo Brahmins, the Congress said that it would declare “Parushram Jayanti” as a holiday. It also promised to set up a special Commission for uplift of Pasmanda Muslims”. The manifesto stated that the Nishad (boatmen) community will be given rights on river resources and the Kol community will be included in the ST category.
Priyanka said the manifesto has promised land rights for urban development and the slum land will be in the name of the person concerned. “Also, the middle class will get land and economic incentives for affordable housing,” she said.